Only 4 in 10 managers feel prepared for flexible work models

Work location is the main focus of ongoing debates about the future of work – will your company be remote, hybrid, flexible, or in-person?

But leaders may be prioritizing the wrong thing; rather than getting preoccupied on working location – and how many days employees are in-person – the key to introducing the right working model for your organization is actually trust.

Talking exclusively to UNLEASH, working parenthood company From Another CEO Jess Lancashire shares the importance of “nurturing a foundation of trust and empathy between employees and their leaders”.

Of course, this is much easier said than done – Lancashire terms it “nothing short of a seismic shift in perspective”.

In fact, recent research by From Another, including a 12-week listening program for 350 employees, managers and leaders, found that right now this trust is severely lacking, and this is causing huge friction, as well as productivity and talent challenges, within organizations.

Employees want autonomy (and to be trusted that they are working hard no matter the location), while managers are responsible for their teams’ productivity, so they require some predictability and control over their direct reports’ working patterns.

HR teams have a crucial role to play to cultivate trust – and, no, it is not as simple as just providing employees with the autonomy they ask for.

For Lancashire, “it’s not about ticking the ‘yes’ box on remote work policies. It’s about creating an environment where open communication, clear expectations, and positive role modelling cultivate a culture of trust”.

How to build trust at work

A great place to start in building trust and empathy at work, around working models and beyond, is my empowering managers.

From Another’s data shows that while 81% of managers agree that flexible working models require them to learn new skills, 44% did not feel they had the right training, tools or support to do a good job.

It’s time for organizations, and HR teams specifically to step up, and “equip managers with a new set of skills that go beyond traditional oversight”, shares Lancashire.

“We’re talking about real empathy, and it’s all about recognizing that various employees have different roles to play at different moments.

“One employee might be a working parent yearning for autonomy, another could be a manager in search of stability and predictability. These roles can coexist within the same person, even simultaneously.”

Lancashire concludes: “Navigating this complexity demands a departure from conventional working norms. It requires dismantling the current ways of working that constrain us…and cultivating a workplace where empathy and understanding pave the way for a more enjoyable and productive future.”